By Nakia Lipscomb, Senior Director, Development
You’ve heard the saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” As someone who recently joined The Dayton Foundation as the senior director of development, I’ll admit this concept has resonated with me on occasion. Fortunately for me, I had the pleasure of working with The Dayton Foundation in my previous job, so I have a solid knowledge of its wide array of charitable giving vehicles. This is not necessarily the case for many Greater Daytonians, who indicated in a recent survey that although they know of the Foundation and its good work in the community, there’s still a population who know very little about our services and how we help you help others.
For instance, did you know our free Charitable Checking AccountSM Service helps you make the most of your charitable dollars? This service is an easy way to get introduced to The Dayton Foundation and how it can help you help others. With a CCA, you can streamline your giving online anywhere in the United States and internationally, access your account information at any time and simplify your recordkeeping. You also can take advantage of added support from our knowledgeable staff, who can help you identify and verify nonprofit organizations and causes that align with your charitable goals.
One thing that has impressed me about The Dayton Foundation is there is a place for everyone here. A common misconception is that only high-net-worth individuals have funds with us, but that is not a true statement or representative of our more than 4,100 fund holders. Because CCAs carry no fees and no minimum, individuals from all walks of life are able to open a fund to support causes important to them. Anyone can be a philanthropist even if you have a modest amount to give and want to help others.
Another advantage of the CCA Service is you can maximize your charitable dollars by donating appreciated stock into your account to avoid capital gains tax. This is particularly beneficial when the market is high, and it helps you free up additional dollars to support nonprofit organizations important to you. With a CCA, you also can make a two- or three-year bunched contribution to your fund and take the itemized deduction in the year you gifted your contribution to your Foundation account. “Bunching” is an attractive strategy because you can accrue tax deductions that exceed the standard deduction in the year most advantageous to you and distribute the funds to charities over multiple years.
To be in the “know” about The Dayton Foundation and how we help you help others, contact me or Michelle Lovely or Marianne Requarth at (937) 222-0410.